Popcorn box



Dec. 3, 195 7 c, D. PAINTER POPCORN Box Filed Oct. 21, 1955 INVENTOR.Claude D. Pa/hfer POPCORN BOX Claude D. Painter, San Francisco, Calif.

Application October 21, 1955, Serial No. 541,971

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-16) This invention relates to improvements in boxesand has particular reference to an open-ended popcorn box, such as isused in theaters and the like places for the dispensing of popcorn.

A further object is to produce a box which is made of relatively thinmaterial, yet has considerable strength through the unique folding ofthe same.

A still further object is to produce a box which may be nested and onewhich is economical to manufacture.

A still further object is to produce a box of this character which mayalso be used as a scoop for scooping up the popcorn without the use ofan auxiliary scoop.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numbers are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the blank from which my box is folded;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the finished box and Fig. 3 is atop planview of the box.

In theaters and like places it is common practice to dispense popcorn inbags or in large paper cups the bags being objectionable in that theyare noisy when a person places his hand into the bag to withdraw popcorntherefrom. The large paper cups are objectionable in that they areexpensive, being made of heavy material.

Applicant has therefore devised a popcorn box which is made ofrelatively light material which can be readily disposed of, one whichdoes not make any noise, as in the case of the paper bag, and one whichuses a minimum amount of material in its construction.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention in Fig. 1 the numeral 5designates the base portion of the box and the numerals 6 and 7 oppositeextending side portions. The side portion 6 has flaps 8 and 9 and theside portion 7 has flaps 11 and 12.

Extending in opposite directions from the base 5, in line between thesaid flaps, are wings 13 and 14. At 16 I have shown score lines whichserve to define the boundary of the bottom 5 with respect to the sidesand the wings. At 17 I have shown a score line which divides anddiverges as shown at 18 to form a V-like portion, then further divergesas shown at 19 to form a gusset section A.

States Patent 0 2,815,164 Patented Dec. 3, 1957 ice It is of courseunderstood that there are four of these score lines 17, one at eachcorner of the box.

As shown in Fig. ,1, a portion of the flaps 8 and 9 are provided withadhesive as shown at 21 and 22, the purpose of which will be later seen.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that the wings 13 and14 have been folded upwardly with respect to the fiat base 5 and thesides 6 and 7 have also been folded upwardly so that the flaps 8 and 11overlap and the flaps 9 and 12 overlap so that the adhesive areas 21 and22 will become adhered to flaps 11 and 12 respectively.

In so folding the box, the score lines 17, 18 and 19 will cause thepaper to told as best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 to form an octagonalopen end which, due to the gusset formation, will have a relativelystrong contour whereby the box may be readily handled, stacked and usedfor scooping purposes, even though the box is made of relatively thinmaterial. This could not be possible were the box merely square orcircular in formation.

It will thus be seen that I have accomplished all of the objects aboveset forth. It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewithshown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the sameand that various changes relative to the material, size, shape andarrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A popcorn box formed of a scored blank having a square bottom panel andopposed side panels, two opposed side panels formed of overlappingsections, integral side flaps carried by the bottom panel overlappingand secured to the overlapping sections of said two opposed side panels,all four side panels uniformly diverging upwardly, diverging score linesdefining the side panels extending upwardly from the bottom to pointssubstantially two-thirds the height of the box, the upper end of each ofsaid score lines being divided into a pair of diverging score lineswhich extend to the top open end of the box to form the open mouth ofthe box into octagon shape, said pairs of score lines being similar andthe bottom portions of each pair of score lines having a greaterdivergence than the top portions of the score lines, said score linesalong with the overlapping side panels and the bottom flaps secured tosaid two opposed side panels tending to stiffen the side panels andprevent collapse of the open end of the box when the bottom of the boxis gripped for ladling popcorn.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS715,820 Leclerc Dec. 16, 1902 927,537 Hothersall July 13, 1909 1,932,197Sutherland Oct. 24, 1933 2,050,894 Paige Aug. 11, 1936 2,067,998Williamson Jan. 19, 1937 2,137,614 Hinke Nov. 22, 1938 2,138,680 SiewertNov. 29, 1938 2,305,366 Wentz Dec. 15, 1942

